Topic: Microvascular Damage

Microvasculature is composed of arterioles, capillaries, venules and, in a broader sense, lymphatic capillaries, forming the integrated component in any organs of the human body. Such microvascular network ensures the supply of nutrients and oxygen to tissues and, by maintaining a barrier between tissues and bloodstream, governs tissue homeostasis that is essential to organ health. Microvasculature is vulnerable to a variety of pathological stimuli leading to microvascular damage (MVD). MVD represents a spectrum of abnormalities from microvascular dysfunction to structural disintegration leading to abnormal vasoreactivity, impeded nutritional blood flow, microthrombosis, hyperpermeability, microaneurysm, and intra-tissue haemorrhage. MVD is a major player in the development of damage, dysfunction and complications of all organ systems, and has become the focus of preclinical and clinical investigation by different approaches including non-invasive or invasive assessment, imaging techniques or biomarkers. Depending on the specific organ systems compromised, MVD contributes to the progression of cancer growth and metastasis, ischemic heart disease, stroke, systemic or pulmonary hypertension, diabetes complications, vital organ damage, blindness, dementia and senescence.

This special topic will focus on “microvascular damage” and includes several subtopics based on nature of major diseases, key molecular or cellular factors leading to MVD, and translational components. Despite the complex clinical and pathological diversities, current research on MVD over a spectrum of disease settings suggests certain important similarities with regard to molecular mechanisms, pivotal roles of endothelial cells, and pathophysiological impact on tissues or organs, knowledge critical for the development of effective therapies to meet the urgent clinical needs. By assembling this collection of papers on MVD, we aim to bridge research discoveries from diverse disciplines and explore basic and clinical pathophysiology of MVD in the onset and progression of diseases, and suggest therapeutic interventions to ameliorate MVD.

Recommended Subtopics:

● Heart failure (HF), in particular HFpEF, acute HF, acutely decompensated HF (ADHF);

● Ischemic heart disease, acute myocardial ischemia and infarction;

● Stroke and neuro-inflammation;

● Cancer and metastasis and therapeutic implications;

● Sepsis, inflammation;

● Takotsubo syndrome or stress cardiomyopathy;

● Systemic or pulmonary hypertension;

● Renal and hepatic diseases;

● Metabolic disorders, diabetes and complications;

● Microthrombosis;

● Lymphatic vessels in ischemic heart disease;

● In vivo and in vitro models of MVD, vascular organoids, key research methods;

● Translational medicine: sex differences, ageing, biomarkers.

Microvasculature, endothelial cells, ischemia-reperfusion, heart failure, stroke, hypertension, inflammation, diabetes, microthrombosis